I loathe them. Am I the only one? To me it rather cheapens the whole idea of hsunchen. Are they humans in a unique mythic relationship with their animal? Or are they halfway to kzinti/aslan already, and just happen to have a cult that gives them some spells to take them the rest of the way?
If the Huschen are demonstrably non-human from birth, then to me their culture and lifestyle becomes a lot less interesting - its an almost inevitable result of their race. They are just another strange little race with predictable strange little deviations from human. While if they are humans, then the fact that they chose to be the way they are makes them that little bit more interesting. To me, a world crowded with lots of strange little races, half of them minor variants on human, is the AD&D way. And a world with a smaller number of races, but large variations on culture and religion within those races, is the (far more realistic and preferable) RQ way.
I know I'm overreacting on the issue, but it just seems yet another example of a subtle tendency to go for surface flashy effects at the expense of subtler issues.
Now, if the changes to Hsunchen physiology are not present at birth, but occur as side effect of those of hsunchen blood using the Transform self spells, or similar, then I'm a lot better disposed to the theory.
I have a similar theory about the Agimori from ROC, that some of their racial differences do not manifest until the ritual they experience at puberty.
David
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